FAREWELL BANQUET 



of ours are intoxicated with the ideas of freedom, 

 nationality, self-government, that breathes the 

 breath of life in those inspiring and illuminating 

 pages ? Who of us that had the privilege in the 

 days of our youth, at college or at home, of turning 

 over those golden chapters, and seeing that lustrous 

 firmament dawn over youthful imaginations, 

 who of us can forget, shall I call it the intoxication 

 and rapture, with which we strove to make friends 

 with truth, knowledge, beauty, freedom ? Then 

 why should we be surprised that young Indians 

 feel the same movement of mind when they are 

 made free of our own immortals ?" 



You often hear people talk of the educated 

 section of the people of India as a mere handful 

 an infinitesimal fraction. So they are in numbers ; 

 but it is fatally idle to say that this infinitesimal 

 fraction does not count. This educated section is 

 making and will make all the difference. That 

 they would sharply criticise the British system 

 of government has been long known. It was 

 inevitable. There need be no surprise in the 

 fact that they want a share in political influence, 

 and want a share in the emoluments of adminis- 

 tration. 



But while I declare to you with all the emphasis 

 at my command that these words once uttered, 

 these pledges once made, by responsible English- 

 men, are going to be kept, I must also ask you to 

 grant me an old man's privilege while I say some- 

 thing in the way both of counsel and of encourage- 

 ment to you in your present difficulties and per- 

 plexities difficulties which I appreciate with a 

 deep and sincere sympathy. 



My counsel is this: Do not condemn our Eng- 

 lish honesty and veracity if you find that we 

 move very slowly forward towards the goal of 

 your hopes. Do not mistake that slowness for 



